Rational Design and Implementation of Novel Polymer Adsorbents for Selective Uptake of PFAS from Groundwater
Abstract
Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) formulations have been used for decades to suppress hydrocarbon fuel-based fires at United States (US) military facilities. Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are key constituents of AFFFs and their occurrence in groundwater at many of these facilities has been widely reported. Developing cost-effective remediation strategies to remove PFASs from groundwater remains an important challenge. The goal of this project was to design, characterize, and evaluate the implementation of novel polymer adsorbents for the in situ or ex situ remediation of PFAS-contaminated groundwater. The research objectives of the project were to: (1) discover polymer adsorbents with high affinity, high capacity, and rapid kinetics for priority and environmentally relevant PFASs; (2) characterize the performance of each polymer under scenarios relevant to groundwater remediation; and (3) transition towards the implementation of the new polymer adsorbents into remediation processes by optimizing synthesis pathways and evaluating adsorption process alternatives.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 31, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1187004
Entities
People
- Damian E Helbling
- William Dichtel
Organizations
- Cornell University